Victim of Culture

You may have seen this show before

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but there’s a very hip new television show targetted at the ever valuable 18-35 demographic.  The cast is an eclectic mix of both blonds and brunettes.  Wait, what?

Over at Entertainment Weekly columnist Michael Ausiello is reporting on the TV networks’ press tour and he specifically reports on two CW shows–the Melrose Place relaunch and The Beautiful Life.  What these shows are about doesn’t really matter, because honestly I couldn’t get past the promotional cast photos.

Seven beautiful, nondescript young people lined against a wall.  Yes, this is the show I want to watch.  It’s the equivalent of advertising every new show with a rip-off of The Usual Suspects’ film poster.  Only, in this case, the people aren’t nearly as interesting looking.  I’m all for putting beautiful people on television.  The truth is that they have a God-given-talent which is to stand around and appear nice for others to look at.  They’re the organic version of a Van Gogh painting.  But couldn’t they at least be interesting looking beautiful people?

Take Julia Roberts for example.  She’s got a smile that haunts children in their sleep.  Seriously, she could play the Cheshire Cat in a stage production of Alice in Wonderland, and that’s not a bad thing.  It makes her interesting to look at.  Owen Wilson has that odd bump in his nose, and he’s all the more interesting for it.  These kids?  Not so interesting.

The problem for me is that all the shows start to look alike.  I have the same issue with many police procedurals which cast the grizzled older man, the young nondescript blond headed guy, and the sassy dark-haired woman (who is likely ethnic).  Can we mix it up a bit?  At least CSI finally hired on Laurence Fishburne, even if it was just in the role of grizzled older man.  There should be something we’re paying casting directors for, right?

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